5 Things About The Kansoul

The Kansoul is a Kenyan afro-pop and genge music group known for producing some of East Africa’s mega hit songs. The trio that make their debut on Coke Studio Africa season 4 this year will also be releasing their debut album “Utamu wa Life” (The Good Life) towards the end of 2016. From The Kansoul’s answers to fans when they took over Coca-Cola’s Facebook Page via a live broadcast, we compiled what you probably didn’t know about them.

History

The group use the stage names Mejja, Madtraxx and Kid Kora; but their real names are Major Nemeye Khadija, George Muigai and Mukora Kariba, respectively. They all met at renowned Kenyan label Calif Records in 2014 and immediately started The Kansoul (originally with 12 members) as a group to help spot the light on new talent and promote collaborations. Most group members eventually fell out leaving Mejja, Madtraxx and Kid Kora as the last men standing. All of Kansoul’s current members were established solo artistes before coming together. They promise to still “do songs as individual artistes”, as many fans asked if they would be releasing any solo projects soon.

Why Coke Studio Resonates with Kansoul

Speaking on their involvement on Coke Studio Africa this year, The Kansoul asserted that the show resonates with their vision. Said Kora: “Bringing artistes together is something we’ve wanted to do for a long time. Coming from a family who didn’t believe that music could be a career, [Coke Studio Africa justifies] what we’ve always wanted to do. It’s an experience of a lifetime. The set up and performance stage is so amazing and beautiful.”

On The Biggest Coke Studio Africa Collabo

On Coke Studio Africa 4 - The Kansoul is paired with one of the biggest musicians in Lusophone Africa—Mozambican singer Lizha James. Madtraxx said: “She is leading the way for female artistes to shine in Africa. It’s been an awesome experience working with Lizha and great to share cultures. It’s a pleasure for us to make one of the biggest collabos between Mozambique and Kenya.” The artistes will be produced by Ugandan talent Bushingtone.

On Kansoul’s Inspiration

The Kansoul said that they draw inspiration from current affairs like “parties, relationships and life in general,” with Kora urging all artistes to “keep pushing Kenyan and African music – the future is in African entertainment.”

On Producing Hit Songs

Many fans wanted to know how The Kansoul and its producers Madtraxx and Kora have managed to produce hit songs back to back, from their debut single: Dabo Tap to Moto Wa Kuotea Mbali featuring Nameless, Mabega, and Tunakubali featuring Timmy Tdat. They said: “We don't go into the studio thinking of hit songs but we go, just flow with the vibe, and let our fans decide upon releasing the songs.”